Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA) successfully conducted its 7th Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 26 October at Sport Waitākere, marking the first time the event was held at this venue. We extend our gratitude to Sport Waitākere for hosting us. The session, opened by He Wāhine Toa Kei Te Kokiri, was chaired by the outgoing Co-Chair, Dr. Sarah Leberman. CEO Nicky Van den Bos, alongside Board members Pam Elgar, Mary Gardiner, and Erin Roxburgh, presented a comprehensive review of the 2022-23 financials and activities, emphasising key initiatives such as the WISPA Insights Hub, IWG Conference, Hine Manawa Rau network and Leadership Programmes.
The Board re-appointed Tim Corbett, Pauline Harrison, and Erin Roxburgh and welcomed new members Jon Tamihere-Kemeys and Caroline Wethey. Jon, with his governance background from roles at NZEA, Touch Compass, PwC NZ, and Creative New Zealand, is complemented by Caroline’s vast commercial and sports marketing experience. Caroline, currently an Account Manager at EightyOne, has previously been involved in brand campaigns, major events, and stakeholder engagement, with notable contributions to NZ Rugby’s sports marketing initiatives. Departing Board Members Kelly Evans and Martin Snedden received commendations for their unwavering commitment.
CEO Nicky van den Bos introduced the new WISPA Chair, Susan Sawbridge, and Deputy Chair, Erin Roxburgh. She also expressed gratitude to our key financial partners for the year, including Sport New Zealand, John Turkington Forestry, the US Department of State, and MFAT, and acknowledged the significant contributions of past staff from the 2022-2023 year and all our foundation members.
The AGM culminated with a heartfelt tribute to Co-Chairs Sarah Leberman and Julie Paterson, celebrating their profound influence on WISPA and the broader landscape of women’s sports in Aotearoa.
The 2022-2023 Annual Report & Audited Financial Statements can be found here.
